INDIAN WELLS, California: Iga Swiatek routed 25th-seeded Veronika Kudermetova 6-1, 6-0 on Sunday to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. Andy Murray had to work a lot harder to get there.
Swiatek has dropped just five games in two matches during her first visit to the combined ATP and WTA tour event. She needed just 54 minutes to get by Kudermetova on the first anniversary of the Polish player winning the French Open.
Swiatek, seeded second, won 28 of her 33 service points, hit 19 winners and made just seven unforced errors.
“I was just feeling pretty confident,” she said. “But basically, I wanted to make a gift for my psychologist because usually when I lose there is some drama, so let’s just say she has the day off today.”
Two-time major champion Murray beat 18-year-old Carlos Alcarez 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round for the first time since 2016. The 34-year-old Scotsman got into the tournament as a wild card. Alcarez hit 36 winners to 18 for Murray.
“I felt like in the second set he played maybe better,” Murray said. “First set I felt like I had more of the opportunities but didn’t get it so yeah, happy with the way I fought. He’s a top-drawer young player.”
US Open runner-up Leyla Fernandez played a night match.
Also advancing was No. 4 Elina Svitolina, who beat 32nd-seeded Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-4 7-6 (3).
Also on the men’s side, No. 5 seed Matteo Berrettini defeated Alejandro Tabilbo 6-5, 7-5 in his opening match. He’ll next face 31st-seeded Taylor Fritz, who beat Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 6-4 in an all-American match-up.
Berrettini, who owns two titles this year, won for the first time in his third appearance at Indian Wells.
“I love the conditions here, the place, it’s amazing,” he said. “I didn’t know Alejandro that well. He played three matches here so he was feeling confident. He believed that he could win and I felt it, so it was even tougher to beat him.”
No. 7 Felix Auger-Aliassime lost to Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 6-2.
No. 10 Jannik Sinner, who won the title in Sofia last week, beat John Millman 6-2, 6-2. No. 14 Gaels Monfils defeated Gianluca Mager 6-4, 6-2.
Kevin Anderson edged 17th-seeded Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3).
Swiatek, Murray advance to 3rd round at Indian Wells
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Swiatek, Murray advance to 3rd round at Indian Wells
Bangladesh replaced by Scotland at T20 World Cup, reports say
- Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead
- Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C
DUBAI: Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup after the South Asian side refused to travel to co-hosts India, media reports said on Saturday citing sources within the sport’s governing International Cricket Council.
The decision follows weeks of uncertainty, during which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) repeatedly insisted it would not play its scheduled matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbors.
Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead, but the governing body rejected the demand, dismissing any security threat to the team.
Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, which features England, Italy, Nepal and West Indies, the BBC reported.
Reuters has contacted the ICC, BCB and Cricket Scotland for comment.
PROTESTS NEAR BANGLADESH HIGH COMMISSION
Last month, hundreds of people protested near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district by a crowd that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
A total of 12 people were arrested in connection with his death.
The incident worsened relations between India and its neighbor, with ties already strained after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have spilled into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with its Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The standoff mirrors previous tensions in South Asian cricket.
For the Champions Trophy last year, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) stuck to its policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbors, who play each other only in ICC events.
Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a ‘hybrid model’ was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
The 20-team World Cup is set to begin on February 7.
